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Parent page: Designing with a Connected Workspace
Within a connected Workspace, each design entity that can be stored, managed, and reused, is represented as a specific type of Item. An Item is uniquely identified within the Workspace and can contain any number of Revisions, where a revision contains the data for that Item. Each time a change is made to the data contained within a revision – which for most Item types can be edited directly within an associated temporary editor – it is saved (or re-released) into a new revision of that Item, ensuring that no existing revision can ever be overwritten, and thereby ensuring the highest integrity.
Different Items are used to store and represent different types of data. One Item could represent a schematic symbol, another a PCB component model, while another could contain the generated fabrication data from a released board design. To declare the type of content an Item (or rather its revisions) will be used to contain, its Content Type property needs to be specified when creating or editing that Item. To put this another way, you are in essence specifying the Item Type.
The following table lists the various content types (Item types) that can be created manually by a user in a connected Workspace, along with their:
Generic Folder
.Content Type | Associated Folder Type | Content Type Code | Folder Type Code | More Info... |
3D Model | 3D Models | A3D |
3D Model |
Altium Designer Preferences | Altium Designer Preferences | PREF |
Design Preferences |
Binary File | Binary Files | ABF |
Binary File |
BOM Template | BOM Templates | XLT |
BOM Template |
Component | Components | CMP |
Component |
Component Template | Component Templates | CMPT |
Component Template |
Draftsman Document Template | Draftsman Templates | DFD |
Draftsman Templates |
Draftsman Sheet Template | Draftsman Templates | DFS |
Draftsman Templates |
Footprint | Footprints | PCC |
Footprint Model |
Layerstack | Layerstacks | ALS |
Layer Stack |
Managed Schematic Sheet | Managed Schematic Sheets | SCH |
Managed Schematic Sheet |
Outputjob | Output Jobs | OUT |
Output Job Template |
PCB Assembly Data | Project Catalog | PAS |
Board Design Release |
PCB Fabrication Data | Project Catalog | PBL |
Board Design Release |
PCB Project Design | Project Catalog | PDE |
Board Design Release |
PCB Snippet | PCB Snippets | PCBS |
PCB Snippet |
Project Review Package | Project Catalog | PRP |
Board Design Release |
Project Template | Project Templates | PRJT |
Project Template |
Reuse Block | Design Reuse Blocks | RBL |
Reuse Block |
Schematic Snippet | Schematic Snippets | SCHS |
Schematic Snippet |
Schematic Template | Schematic Templates | SCHDOT |
Schematic Template |
Script | Scripts | ASF |
Script |
Simulation Model | Simulation Models | SIM |
Simulation Model |
Symbol | Symbols | SYM |
Symbol |
An Item can have any number of revisions, which are essentially an evolution of that Item over time. A change is made and the new data content is saved/uploaded/released into a new revision. The data stored in each revision of an item is therefore typically different. To identify between these different revisions of an Item, a revision identifier (ID) is used, which in combination with the Item ID creates a unique identifier for each release of an Item. This gives us the Item-Revision.
A full Item-Revision ID therefore simply identifies a specific revision of a parent Item. There will always be at least one revision of an Item (the first release), but there could be many, depending on how many times the data for that Item has been saved/uploaded/released. An important point to make here is that you can only release to a particular Item-Revision once. If there is a change, then a new Item-Revision must be created. This ensures the highest integrity, as the data contained in a given revision can never be overwritten by re-releasing to the same revision. To release again, a new Item-Revision must be used.
The simplest way to grasp the concept of an Item and its revisions is to think of a 'box', into which all the data for that particular revision of that particular Item is stored. When the Item is released, the data is put into the box and the box is closed. The Item ID and the Revision ID become labels on the side of that box – they allow instant recognition of what the contents of the box is used for. If the data needs to be updated and re-released then the Revision ID is incremented, creating a new box.
Main page: Defining Lifecycle Definitions for a Workspace
Another important aspect of an Item-Revision is its Lifecycle State. This is another identifier that can be used to quickly assess what stage that revision has currently reached in its life, and what designers are therefore authorized to do with it. Where the Revision reflects design changes made to the Item, the Lifecycle State reflects the state of the item from a business perspective, such as Planned
, New From Design
, For Production
, Obsolete
, and so on.
Initially, an Item-Revision will be in the Planned
state – ready to receive (and store) the data generated by the applicable save/upload/release process. Once that process is complete, that revision is closed (data cannot be saved/uploaded/released to that same revision again), and the Lifecycle State is set to the next applicable state. While the data for this Item-Revision can not be modified, the Lifecycle State can be changed to reflect just where that Item-Revision is, in terms of its useful life.
Your Workspace provides different types of lifecycle management – from basic management, through simple management including states and state transitions, to fully structured management, where the states and state transitions are organized into distinct stages, with a link between those stages and the Revision ID. Based on these different lifecycle management strategies, a number of standard Lifecycle Definitions are defined, from which you can choose to model the state transitions that an Item-Revision may undergo over time.
An Item-Revision's lifecycle is managed manually and in accordance with company policies and practices. Consider a revision of a PCB Fabrication Data Item, containing the data to physically fabricate a bare board. Once the development team is happy with it, the Lifecycle State of that revision might be elevated to a state such as In Prototype
and, all being well with the subsequently manufactured prototype, would then proceed to an In Production
state. At a later date, another revision of the same Item might be needed (another box!) to introduce better functionality. Once released, this second Item-Revision would progress through prototyping to production, while the lifecycle of the previous Item-Revision passes through deprecation and finally to obsolescence. The point is that the lifecycle information shows how the contents of the 'Item-Revision box' can, or rather are, being used.
The Items themselves are created directly within a connected Workspace, and all of the data needed to manufacture/represent an Item is then stored in that Workspace, against that Item number. Depending on the content type, an Item can be created manually, or automatically as part of a save/upload/release process. All content types can be created from within Altium Designer through the Explorer panel. When working with components, creation is also possible through the Components panel.
Once you have defined the required folders, you can proceed to create the content in the Workspace. To create an Item, select the appropriate folder, then right-click in the Items grid region of the panel and choose one of the commands from the Create Item sub-menu. Alternatively, if the folder is empty, use the Add an item control in the center of the region to access the menu.
The Create New Item dialog will appear, providing all controls necessary to fully define the Item.
For many content types, you have the option to edit and release the applicable design document into the initial revision of that content, after creation. To do so, enable the option Open for editing after creation, at the bottom of the Create New Item dialog (which is enabled by default). The Item will be created and the relevant temporary editor will open, ready for you to create the data for that Item. For more information on working with a particular content type, read its dedicated page, a link to which is provided in the table earlier in this document.
An important aspect of the parent folder in which content is created is the Item Naming Scheme employed for it. This defines the format of the unique ID for each Item created in that particular folder. By defining the Item Naming Scheme at the folder level, content can be created quickly within that folder, while adhering to the correct ID naming scheme. This is especially the case when Items are being created automatically 'on-the-fly', rather than releasing to existing Items that have been manually created directly within the target Workspace.
Several default example schemes are available, utilizing the short-form code for either the folder type or the content type (refer back to the table earlier in this document for a list of codes). Using a default naming scheme, the software will automatically assign the next available unique ID, based on that scheme, having scanned the entire Workspace and identifiers of existing content.
Alternatively, should there be a need to have full, manual control over the naming of an Item, select the [NO ITEM NAMING SCHEME]
entry. A unique Identifier must then be defined for an Item as part of its creation. Note that the system will not allow creation of an Item with a duplicated identifier, so manually assigning an identifier requires knowledge of which identifiers have been used.
Irrespective of the setting for the Item Naming Scheme at the folder level, you are free to override any automatically determined ID at the Item level. Modify any such ID as required, through the Create New Item dialog.
There is an infinite number of possible name/numbering schemes that can be used for Items, the ones shown in images within the documentation are just examples. There are numerous discussions you can read about what is the best numbering scheme to use. Generally, the experts agree that a short, non-significant, numeric-only numbering scheme is best. Non-significant means that there is no information encoded into the numbering scheme, such as the product category, sub-category, location, etc, each new Item is simply issued the next number in the sequence.
The length is important because the longer the identifier, the greater the chance of a human making an error when they record or recall the Item ID. Experience and academic study have shown that data entry errors increase as the number of characters increase. Seven digits is believed to be the magic number in terms of being easily and reliably recalled by a human. Beyond a certain length errors increase at an increasing rate – at 15 characters, the error probability is close to 100%.
If it is important in your organization to create identity in the Item ID, then a composite identifier could be the answer. In this case, a simple alpha/numeric commodity prefix code is recommended. For example, consider the ID D-820-0001
. Here the D
in the code could denote Design, meaning this is an Item used for designs. In the next 3 digits, the first digit could denote the product category, such as Peripheral Boards, the second and third digits in the block of three could be used to denote bare boards (1X
) or assemblies (2X
and up). The final four digits in the Item ID are a simple, non-significant, next-in-the-queue type number.
Changing from a local design paradigm to a Workspace one requires migrating existing data to a Workspace. Such data may well have passed through multiple iterations, and have revision numbering assigned that is recognized across the organization. For example, rev.3 of a Magno-Synthetic Digitizer board may well have passed out the door already, with enhancements to be delivered in rev.4. On releasing to the Workspace, having an initial revision that started back at 1
would be confusing to say the least – not just within the organization but, more importantly, to its customer base (who are expecting a later version than their current rev.3!).
To this end, Altium Designer provides the ability to manually set the ID for the initial revision of a newly-created Item in a Workspace.
Create the required new Item in the Workspace as usual. After creation, right-click on the Item and choose Properties – giving access to the Edit Item dialog. Click the button, to the right of the Revision ID field. The Set Initial revision Id values dialog will appear, from where you can set the ID to meet your requirements. Fields will be provided, as applicable, to modify the various levels of the ID, in accordance with the chosen Revision Naming Scheme.
Most content types support the creation of a new revision by uploading the applicable data file.
Uploading data into a new revision of an Item can be performed in a couple of ways.
A file can be uploaded by right-clicking on the required Item in the Explorer panel and choosing the Upload command from the context menu. The Create New Revision dialog will appear, in which you can change Name, Description, and add release notes as required. Use the Sources region of the dialog to load the required file. This can be performed by dragging and dropping the file from Windows Explorer, onto the region. Alternatively, click the button – the Add Files dialog (a standard Windows open-type dialog) will appear. Use this to browse to, and open, the required file.
Once the desired file is dropped in, or selected and the Open button clicked, an entry for it will appear back in the Sources region.
Proceed with the upload by clicking the OK button. As applicable to the content type, information regarding the uploaded file(s) will be presented on the Details and/or Preview aspect view tabs for the Item Revision, in the Explorer panel.
The relevant data file(s) can also be uploaded by dragging the selected file(s) from a source folder in your Windows Explorer and dropping onto the required target Item in the Explorer panel. The Create New Revision dialog will appear, with the dragged file listed in the Sources region. Add any Release Notes as required, then click the OK button.
Main page: Defining Naming Schemes for a Workspace
To provide the greatest level of flexibility, a Workspace comes with a number of pre-defined Revision Naming Schemes, and also supports user-defined Naming Schemes. The Revision Naming Scheme is specified at the Workspace level, and applied when an Item is created. To specify the naming schemes for the Workspace to which you are currently connected:
The Edit Revision Naming Schemes dialog will appear.
The revision naming scheme applied is chosen at the individual Item level, when creating an Item. Different Items can therefore have different revision naming schemes assigned to them.
Main page: Defining Lifecycle Definitions for a Workspace
A Workspace also comes with a number of pre-defined Lifecycle Definitions, and also supports user-defined Lifecycle Definitions. The Lifecycle Definition is specified at the Workspace level, and applied when an Item is created. To specify the definitions for the Workspace to which you are currently connected:
The Edit Lifecycle Definitions dialog will appear.
The lifecycle definition applied is chosen at the individual Item level, when creating an Item. Different Items can therefore have different lifecycle definitions assigned to them.
Related page: Accessing the Detailed Item View
For a detailed view of the Revision and Lifecycle history of an Item, right-click on the Item in the Explorer panel and choose History from the menu. The Item view (labeled with the Item's ID) will open.
The view presents a textual timeline, as well as a graphical view of the revisions of that Item, and their lifecycle history. Additional detail that is presented in the view will depend on the type of Item being examined. For example, for a сomponent, the constituent model links are presented, along with parametric information. The graphical region of the view displays a column for each major Revision (where the associated revision naming scheme has more than 1 level). Within each column are the minor revisions and their lifecycle state changes.
The revisions of an Item, and their lifecycle history, can also be browsed and managed from the Explorer panel. Change to the Lifecycle aspect view tab for the selected Item-Revision. To access release data, switch to the Preview aspect view tab.
Right-click on a lifecycle state cell - in either the detailed Item view, or the Explorer panel - to access the following commands:
Promote <item to State> – use this command to promote the Item revision to its next Lifecycle State, which may also transition it to the next Lifecycle Stage.
back to Prototype
when the Component Lifecycle
Definition applies.Abandoned
, Obsolete
, Deprecated
, etc, rather than promoting it to the next higher level. This would be an Obsolete
state for the Component Lifecycle
definition, for example.Planned
Lifecycle state. The Create Revision dialog will open that provides all controls necessary to fully define the Item revision.Planned
Lifecycle state. The Create New Item dialog will open ( with the selected Item-Revision set as an Ancestor Revision) that provides all controls necessary to fully define the Item.Enhancing the audit trail for content in a Workspace, Altium Designer provides the ability to enter notes when changing the lifecycle state of an Item-Revision and, for many content types, when releasing the source data into planned revisions in the Workspace.
When changing the lifecycle state for an Item-Revision in a Workspace, use the State change note region of the subsequent state change dialog to enter a relevant note for that change.
When releasing source data into a new planned revision of an Item in a Workspace, use the Release notes region of the subsequent Create Revision dialog to enter a relevant note for that release. This facility is available when re-releasing any Item type that supports the Direct Editing paradigm.
The notes added for any revision of an Item can be viewed in the following places:
When connected to a Workspace, flexible functionality is available for removing an Item directly from within Altium Designer, from the Explorer panel. Right-click on the Item's entry in the panel and choose the Delete Item command from the context menu. The Delete Items dialog will appear, in which to confirm the deletion. The action is actually a 'soft delete', whereby the Item will be moved into the Trash area of the Workspace. The Trash is essentially a recycle bin into which any content within your Workspace can be moved (through a soft delete action). It is isolated from the rest of the Workspace.
To proceed with the deletion, click the button. The item will be removed and a Deletion Summary dialog will confirm successful deletion. If there was an issue with deletion, this will be flagged to you.
All items deleted in this manner can be found on the Trash page of the Workspace's browser interface. Note that you can only view items that you have personally soft deleted. Administrators will be able to see the full content of the Trash page – so all items that have been soft deleted.
Things to consider in relation to a soft-deleted item:
Anywhere the item was being used will reflect that the item has been deleted.
An item can be restored, or permanently deleted from the Trash page, provided you have editing rights. Permanent deletion is only possible provided it is not being used by a parent item.


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Research and retrieval of news articles by: SPECIAL NOTE TO ALL VISITORS: |
DOES ISSUING PASSPORTS MAKE MICROSOFT A COUNTRY?Source: Joel on SoftwarePosted on July 27, 2000 Am I the only one who is terrified about Microsoft Passport? It seems to me like a fairly blatant attempt to build the world's largest, richest consumer database, and then make fabulous profits mining it. It's a terrifying threat to everyone's personal privacy and it will make today's "cookies" seem positively tame by comparison. The scariest thing is that Microsoft is advertising Passport as if it were a benefit to consumers, and people seem to be falling for it! By the time you've read this article, I can guarantee that I'll scare you into turning off your Hotmail account and staying away from MSN web sites. This article has two parts. First, I'll present a brief technical overview of how Passport works and why it eliminates the last line of defense protecting your privacy. Second, I'll talk about how Microsoft plans to develop Passport to create a massive consumer information database and link all your private information together, and how they plan to profit fantastically from it. But before I get started, let me say that I'm not just writing this to bash Microsoft. That's not my goal here. Microsoft is a large, diverse company with many smart people and many ethical people; they have many great products and some pathetic products, too. I spent 3 years working at Microsoft, many of my friends are still there, and I'm a Microsoft shareholder. I'm writing this article because I think the Microsoft Passport story is fascinating from a privacy perspective and from a business strategy perspective, and because nobody else seems to be covering it. 1. How Passport Works In the olden days of interactive computing, you got an account on one computer which was all you ever used. You had one username and one password to remember. The web has changed things dramatically: because it is so easy to visit lots of web sites, you may have accounts with dozens of companies on dozens of different computers. I have 81 at last count. Most people have no hope of remembering 81 different account names and passwords, so they tend to just use the same password on every site, or they keep a long list of passwords written down somewhere. It's a bit of a nuisance. If you regularly shop online, you're probably getting sick of typing in your home address, credit card information, and remembering the user name and password for all those sites. It's extremely common for people to abandon their shopping carts on the web when they see the long form they have to fill out to make an account and purchase their products. This is the kind of problem that Passport is promising to solve. To understand how it works, I'd like to take a few minutes to talk about some web security and privacy technology and how Passport subverts it. How Cookies Work There's a lot of wrong information about cookies out there. All a cookie does is tell a web site operator when somebody comes back to their site that has been there before. It doesn't give the web site operator any information about that person's identity; it just says "Hey, that visitor who was here last Tuesday at 4:15 PM? That person is back again." Technically, the way it works is that when you go to the web site for the first time, the web server makes up an ID for you, for example, if I go to www.eCrap.com, it might make up the number 76JU589SU for me, which is completely meaningless. The web server sends this meaningless ID number to my web browser, which stores it. Now, the next time I go to eCrap.com, my web browser will tell the web server: "Yo, in case you care, this is 76JU589SU coming back again. Thought you might want to know." That's all there is to it. Now, since eCrap is smart, they opened a file on me, marked 76JU589SU. In that file, they could keep any information I give them. If I buy something from eCrap and give them my address, they could store my address in their 76JU589SU file. And my credit card. And a list of the things I bought. Next time I wanted to buy something, since they already knew who I am, they can offer to let me purchase it without typing in an address or credit card number, because they can just look that up in their file. Theoretically, the only information eCrap can put in their file is the information that I give them. Amazon's files probably contain information about what books I bought, my address, credit card information, and maybe some information about what books I looked at but didn't buy... any information that they can gather from my activity on their web site. Amazon does not know how old I am or what color my hair is, since I never told them that information. They don't know that my favorite cafe is The Big Cup in New York City, because I never gave them that information, either. But they do know that I bought the book 101 Cute Puppies from them. One day, if 101 More Cute Puppies comes out, they are probably going to search their files for people who bought 101 Cute Puppies and tell us about the sequel the next time we log on. How Cookies Protect Your Privacy Now, suppose I decide to open a credit card account online. Of course, the credit card company would probably love to know that I just bought "Bankruptcy for Dummies" and "How to Stiff Everyone And Move To Brazil" from Amazon.com, but they are not going to find out. Why? Because my web browser will simply never send my Amazon cookie to the credit card company. The golden rule of cookies is that they are only sent back to the same web domain as they came from. This is important to remember, because it's the only thing that really protects you from having all the web sites you visit swap information about you. I don't want my credit card company to know that I bought a bankruptcy book. I don't want potential landlords to know that I read lots of articles about caring for Boa Constrictors. I don't want potential employers to know that I read web sites about homemade bombs. They'll probably take it the wrong way. Unfortunately, this is one case where the consumer's interests and the web site's interests are diametrically opposed. Every web site in the world wants to show you targeted ads. When I visit The Dilbert Zone, they would love to know that I read The Jerusalem Post online and send me an ad for luxury apartments in Israel, because targeted ads sell for a lot more money than non-targeted ads. Subverting The Golden Rule Web advertising companies, like Doubleclick, are trying to collect as much information about people as possible, so that they can send them targeted ads. The way they do this is by having their member sites show ads which come from the same web domain. Here's an example of how this works: I go to The Jerusalem Post to read the latest news. The Jerusalem Post web site includes an advertisement which is actually served up by the Doubleclick web server. Now Doubleclick opens a file on me and sends a cookie back to my web browser. Later that day, I go to the Dilbert Zone. Dilbert also includes an advertisement, also served up by the Doubleclick web server. Remember, The golden rule of cookies is that they are only sent back to the same web domain as they came from. So my naive web browser says, "Oh, you're going back to Doubleclick, I'll just tell them that you're the same person that was here before..." and now Doubleclick knows that somebody who went to The Jerusalem Post before is now visiting Dilbert, so they show me that ad for the expensive apartment in Israel. Passport Has Another Way The Doubleclick trick for sharing your information only works for ads, but Microsoft Passport found a way to work around the golden rule for any site. Here's how it works. Go to http://www.hotmail.com. Watch what your web browser does. You'll see that your browser first goes to Hotmail for a second, then jumps to www.passport.com for a split second, and then immediately goes right back to Hotmail. What's going on? It turns out that there's a feature to allow a web page to tell your browser to go somewhere else instead. For example, if you try to go to eCrap.com, that site might tell your web browser "Oh, we've gone bankrupt. Please go to our lawyer's site instead, DeweyCheatumAndHowe.com." It's called a client redirect. That's what Hotmail is doing. It only takes a couple of seconds, but while it's happening, Hotmail and Passport are communicating through your web browser about who you are. Now, if you go to another Microsoft web site, say, www.investor.com, the same thing will happen: you'll get redirected to Passport and then back to Investor. Because Passport is "telling on you", even though your web browser is supposed to be protecting your security by following the golden rule of cookies, it's really Passport that is signing you in. Bottom line: Hotmail knows that you're the same person that just went to Investor. And that applies to any Microsoft web site: Slate, Expedia, Hotmail, Investor, MSN, etc. The way Passport uses client redirect to subvert cookie security is basically just taking advantage of a security hole in web browsers. Cookies weren't meant to allow this. But you can bet that this is one security bug that Microsoft is not going to fix. To Summarize: The golden rule of cookies that protects your privacy is that they are only sent back to the same web domain as they came from. Microsoft Passport eliminates this protection allowing any Passport site to share information about you. 2. How Passport Will Be Developed The supposed benefit of Passport to consumers is that it allows them to use one login and password to access all the Passport web sites. But the benefit to the web sites is much greater, because now they can pool and share their information about you. Let's take a hypothetical example that's possible today. Microsoft's online travel agency Expedia is a Passport web site, and Microsoft Investor is too. One day, Expedia could start offering higher fares to customers who have more than a million dollars in their Investor stock portfolio. There's not really anything technically impossible about this, and it's probably legal, too. Web businesses would love to have a way to combine their files on you. And the more businesses that have the opportunity to combine their files, the more valuable it is. There's a network effect going on here (a.k.a. Metcalfe's Law): the value of a network of web sites who swap data is the square of the number of sites in the network, because every site can exchange data with every other site. The spooky thing about Passport is that there's one company that serves as the gatekeeper to joining the network: Microsoft. Which is why this has the potential of being a phenomenally valuable business. There are many ways Microsoft can profit from Passport. They could charge a commission when web sites sell data about consumers. They could sell private information which they collect from their participant sites. Or they could just charge web sites to belong to the network. It's a great business that makes credit agencies look like they have nothing. The scary thing is that if you use Internet Explorer, Microsoft controls your web browser. You can be sure that Microsoft would love to eliminate that nasty two second flash while your web browser is redirected through passport.com. I'll bet there's a feature under development for a future version of IE that will make Passport just be built into the web browser, or even built into the operating system itself. Don't believe me? Here's a quote from Microsoft's .NET white paper: Building on Microsoft Passport and Windows authentication technology, [Windows.NET] provides levels of authentication ranging from passwords and wallets to smart cards and biometric devices. Enables developers to build services that provide personalization and privacy for their customers, who in turn can enjoy new levels of safe and secure access to their services, no matter where they are or on what device. Supported in the first major release of Windows.NET, code-named "Whistler." Notice the way Microsoft acts as if they are providing "privacy" and a "new level of safe and secure access." Uh huh. The best way to lie is through repeated assertion until eventually nobody notices the lie. Passport will be built into IE, it will be built into the operating system, and it will be made available as a programming interface so that developers can use it, and frankly, there goes your last defense against corporations building up gigantic super-databases with outrageous amounts of personal information about everyone. Yeah sure, Microsoft promises to protect your privacy... Does anybody really believe this for a minute? Every day there's a new story about a security breach -- Hotmail itself, a Passport site, had a major security breach a couple of months ago that made it into the headlines. During the next wave of web based business failures, we're going to start seeing a lot more stories like the one about how toysmart.com, as soon as they went bankrupt, reneged on their promise to protect the privacy of their customers. Even the best laid plans to protect consumer's privacy don't work. There are always software bugs and security goof-ups. Unscrupulous employees on the inside abuse their ability to look at the database. Court orders and subpoenas force companies to divulge information they promised to keep secret. If Microsoft was honest about protecting your privacy, they would let users keep their private information on their own computers, and they would ask you every time they were going to reveal some data. But they're not being honest. They want all your data in a big database on their server, thank you
very much, and they want you to click "I Agree" to the 27 pages of legalese which says things like
"Microsoft reserves the right to amend this agreement at any time." If you really trust any
Internet company to protect your privacy, I've got a bridge to sell ya.
E-Commerce Alerts are issued by Bennett Gold LLP, Chartered Professional Accountants as situations develop. Bookmark this site and check back often. Our e-mail address is: email@example.com In accordance with United States Code, Title 17, Section 107 and Article 10 of The Berne Convention on Literary and Artistic Works, the news clippings on this web site are made available without profit for research and educational purposes. |
ALERT WebTrust Is Your Best Defense Against Privacy Breaches. Get WebTrust Working For Your Site. |

subset: commoncrawl


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Commercial Broker
Commercial Brokers, sometimes known as Account Managers depending on the organisation that employs them, are usually an intermediary between an Insurer and customer. Usually attached to a sales function, a Commercial Broker will play a key role in maintaining and developing business for an insurer. Commercial Brokers can work directly for an insurer, for an intermediary, or be self-employed. The salary on offer for a Commercial Broker can vary greatly with experience, type of employment contract and position within an organisation. Usually APA/QFA qualified, a junior Commercial Broker can expect to start off on the €25,000 - €35,000 range with a Senior Commercial Broker demanding anywhere from €60,000 - €100,000 plus.
County Louth is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Leinster and is part of the Border Region. It is named after the village of Louth. Louth County Council is the local authority for the county.


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- You Are Here:
- Home
- Residents
- Public Safety
- Police
- Department Information
- About the Elgin Police Department
- History of the Department
History of the Elgin Police Department
The department is always looking to expand its historical collection. If you have Elgin police artifacts or photos that you are willing to donate, please contact Community Outreach Specialist Christy Schmidt at 847-289-2588.
Elgin was founded in 1835 and quickly became a bustling community. Having been settled by James T. Gifford in the preceding April, Elgin was now ready for its first law enforcement officer. On July 1, 1836, an election was held and Samuel J. Kimball was named Elgin's first constable. The primary responsibility of law enforcement in Elgin rested with the county sheriff, but constables were required to assist the county deputies when necessary. While the duties of Elgin's first constable bore little resemblance to what we view today as traditional policing, Kimball's position did include some law and order responsibilities. This marked the beginning of a long and proud tradition of law enforcement in Elgin.
Elgin became an incorporated city in 1854 and installed its first police marshal, George W. Renwick. The role of our first marshals was pretty much limited to the enforcement of liquor ordinances and dealing with the occasional intoxicated individual. Over the years, the title of the head law enforcement officer changed from "marshal" to "chief," and although the role has expanded, one duty has remained consistent; to ensure law and order for the citizens of Elgin.
Much has changed for police officers in Elgin over the years. One such change is in the uniform worn by our officers. Until the turn of the century, there was little uniformity to what Elgin's police officers wore. This changed in May 1902, when Chief Louis Freeman set down rules as to what uniforms the officers would wear. Prior to this, police officers wore a simple plain blue uniform with brass buttons and a badge. Under Chief Freeman, the members of the Department would be distinguished by their rank and years of service. The basic uniform of today's officer has undergone many changes, but it also bears many similarities. New officers are still issued navy blue uniforms and badges, but the equipment list has grown significantly.
As mentioned, the type of equipment carried by the police department's officers has undergone many changes. The first equipment purchased by the city specifically for law enforcement was on July 7, 1863, when the city council approved the purchase of three sets of handcuffs. On August 12, 1876, the council authorized the purchase of "balls and chains," for which Marshal John Powers was said to be actively looking for someone to wear. In 1894, the Elgin Police Department's equipment inventory included twenty police stars, sixteen whistles, and five Colt revolvers. In addition to the complete uniform, today's Elgin police officers receive a sidearm, handcuffs, baton, taser, pepper spray, radio, flashlight, body armor, duty belt, and a laundry list of additional items needed to meet the challenges of police work today.
The days of police officers "walking the beat" are largely over as the use of vehicles was adopted and steadily increased over the years. In 1891, the Elgin Police Department debuted its first vehicle: a horse-drawn patrol wagon. At the time, the Elgin Daily News boasted that the wagon would make easy work "of hauling drunks to the city bastille." In 1912, the department acquired its first motorized vehicle (a motorcycle), and three years later, our first automobile entered service. Over time, the paint schemes of these vehicles changed and our squads have been painted black, white, pea green, light blue, and the current black and white. Today, the Elgin Police Department's fleet consists of a variety of modes of transportation including cars, transport vans, sport utility vehicles, all-terrain vehicles, bicycles, and an armored vehicle.


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Data acquisition modules support wireless, USB, Ethernet, are backward compatible
National Instruments expands NI CompactDAQ Platform with single-slot chassis offering wireless, Ethernet, and USB connectivity and delivering maximum performance and ease of use in simplified, portable format, NI said, about this NIWeek introduction.
National Instruments (Nasdaq: NATI) today announced new 1-slot NI CompactDAQ chassis that support wireless, USB and Ethernet buses, giving engineers and scientists the portability of a data logger with the performance and flexibility of modular measurements. The NI cDAQ-9191, cDAQ-9181 and cDAQ-9171 chassis support all NI C Series modules for the NI CompactDAQ platform and can be used in conjunction with the existing 4- and 8-slot chassis.
With modules designed for almost any sensor, the NI CompactDAQ platform eliminates the fixed functionality of traditional sensor measurement systems and gives engineers and scientists the ability to increase productivity while decreasing overall cost. NI made the announcement at its NIWeek conference in Austin, Texas.
New metal enclosures make the chassis more resistant to environmental damage as compared to the previous plastic sleeves. The chassis operate in a temperature range of 0 to 55 C and can withstand up to 30 g shock and 3 g vibration. Applications for NI CompactDAQ 1-slot chassis include demanding test applications on the benchtop, in the field or on the production line, NI said.
"The addition of the new wireless, USB and Ethernet 1-slot chassis demonstrates our commitment to expanding the NI CompactDAQ modular data acquisition platform," said Kevin Schultz, National Instruments vice president of research and development. "These chassis can be used with more than 50 C Series modules which make it possible for engineers and scientists to build flexible, scalable measurement systems for portable and distributed applications."
More than 50 measurement-specific modules featuring multiple electrical and sensor connectivity options can be combined with any chassis to create customized systems specific to the needs of numerous applications. NI Signal Streaming technology delivers high-bandwidth capabilities that make it possible to achieve sustained high-speed and bidirectional data streams over USB, Ethernet and wireless buses. Zero configuration networking technology simplifies initial setup, eliminating the need for IT involvement in network setup and integration.
NI-DAQmx driver software, included with each NI CompactDAQ chassis, goes beyond a basic device driver to deliver increased productivity and performance, NI said. With NI-DAQmx, engineers and scientists can log data for simple experiments or develop a complete test system in NI LabVIEW, NI LabWindows/CVI, ANSI C/C++ or Microsoft Visual Studio .NET. A consistent API means that an application developed for an NI CompactDAQ
wireless chassis will work with an NI CompactDAQ USB or Ethernet chassis without any modifications to the software. In addition, all new NI CompactDAQ chassis support the new controller area network (CAN) C Series module for optimal communication across various networks.
National Instruments said it is transforming the way engineers and scientists design, prototype and deploy systems for measurement, automation and embedded applications. NI empowers customers with off-the-shelf software such as NI LabVIEW and modular cost-effective hardware, and sells to a broad base of more than 30,000 companies worldwide, with its largest customer representing approximately 4 percent of revenue in 2010 and no one industry representing more than 15 percent of revenue. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, NI has approximately 5,500 employees and direct operations in more than 40 countries.
– Edited by Mark T. Hoske, CFE Media, Control Engineering, www.controleng.com.
See wireless articles and tutorials at www.controleng.com/wireless.
Do you have experience and expertise with the topics mentioned in this content? You should consider contributing to our CFE Media editorial team and getting the recognition you and your company deserve. Click here to start this process.


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Father-Child Activities at RWTH
- work
- +49 241 80-93546
- Send Email
The Equal Opportunities Office supports fathers at the university with reconciling family and professional or study responsibilities. Events, activities, and sensibilization measures on the topic of fatherhood are regularly offered at the University.
The goal is to support and promote fathers, who desire a more active role in raising their children or generally have problems balancing career or studies with family. Men interested in having children are also a target group.
Father-Child Events
Father-child events are offered every semester. The focus is not only on having fun but also on providing fathers with an opportunity to talk with one another and network. The events are usually held on the weekend and last between two and three hours. Past events have included visits to the Aachen Observatory, Flugplatz Merzbrück, and the Töpfereimuseum in Langerwehe, as well as walks through the forest. You can find current dates on this webpage under "Currently."
Delegate for Fathers – "Väterbeauftragter"
The RWTH Delegate for Fathers is happy to tell interested men and fathers at RWTH about his experiences and provide helpful tips on topics such as parental leave and part-time work. For further information and contact information, please visit the Delegate for Fathers web page.
The Family Services Center provides advising on work-life balance, parental leave, parental stipends, and related topics. You can find more information about advising at the Family Services Center web page.
"RWTH-Väter" Mailing List
The Equal Opportunities Office's mailing list for RWTH fathers – that is employees, students, and men with a partner at RWTH – regularly provides information about father-child activities, parent events, and father work at RWTH Aachen.
Here you can add your name to the mailing list.
External Links
- Starke Väter! NRW (de)
- Väter und Karriere (de)
- The Website for a Man with a Child (de)
Verband alleinerziehender Mütter und Väter in Aachen (de)
Aachen chapter
- Brochure "So sag ich's meinem Vorgesetzten. Elternzeit, Wiedereinstieg und flexible Arbeitsmodelle erfolgreich verhandeln" (de)
- Brochure "Elterngeld, ElterngeldPlus und Elternzeit - Das Bundeselterngeld- und Elternzeitgesetz" (de)
- New handbook: Familienbewusste Personalpolitik für Väter – so funktioniert's (de)
- Mann wird Vater – Informationen für werdende Väter zur Geburt (de)
- Ich bin dabei! – Vater werden (de)
- Mehr Zeit für die Familie: Väter und das ElterngeldPlus (de)
- DGB: Vereinbarkeit von Familie & Beruf gestalten (de)
- Interview "Vätern Mut machen dass auch eine längere Elternzeit organisierbar ist"
- Männerberatungsnetz
- BMFSFJ: Die Vater-Kind-Kur (de)


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NORMAN, Okla. – For nearly two hours Saturday in Oklahoma's spring game, junior Blake Bell did everything to show the starting quarterback's job should be his to lose when training camp starts in August.
It wasn't until right at the end that contrasting performances from Bell and Kendal Thompson left some doubt moving forward.
Bell threw for 213 yards and two touchdowns for the best performance of the three candidates trying to become the next starting quarterback, but his bid for a game-winning drive turned into a miserable failure.
Bell was sacked on third-and-long to set up a fourth-and-27 that he was able to convert with a lofted desperation pass that Derrick Woods tracked down, then got hit by blitzing linebacker Eric Striker as he tried to pass the ball on the final play of the scrimmage.
Thompson's 14-yard touchdown lob to running back David Smith with 3:12 left ended up being the decisive score in a 28-24 win by the White team, with all three quarterbacks splitting time on both squads.
As expected, the competition — which also includes redshirt freshman Trevor Knight — will carry over into training camp.
"When somebody has earned it, then that's when we'll name a guy," offensive coordinator Josh Heupel said.
Bell scrambled to the sideline and threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Durron Neal in the second quarter of the scrimmage and later added 49-yard TD to running back Roy Finch, who took a short pass and ran the final 45 yards to the end zone.
Bell even admitted the offense has plenty of work to do before the season starts Aug. 31 against Louisiana-Monroe.
"We've a lot of guys hurt up front, kind of dinged up in the spring and some of the guys sitting out and not playing," Bell said. "As we go through the summer and we get our timing with routes and stuff with all the guys and just keep working, I think we're going to get there get there.
"Right now, no. That's not bad, but we've just got to keep making strides."
Fullback Trey Millard, center Gabe Ikard and cornerback Aaron Colvin were among the starters who sat out. Coach Bob Stoops typically prefers to keep proven veterans out of the scrimmage, leaving it as a time to evaluate younger players.
At the center of it all is the first quarterback competition since Sam Bradford won the job in 2007. His injury opened the door for Landry Jones to succeed him the past four seasons. Stoops said the spring game might carry extra weight than an average day at practice, but it's still only part of evaluating the candidates.
"I'm very pleased with where we're at," Stoops said. "I guess I don't know that a coach is ever satisfied. You always want more.
"But I think the coaches have done a really good job working with these guys and ... we've taken a lot of good strides in places we needed to. In 14 practices, that's not enough. They need to have a really big summer. I believe our players are aware of that. If they do, then we'll build on it in the summer. But the big part will be their commitment here through the rest of spring and in the summer. Are they going to make the gains they need to in the out of season?"
Thompson, the son of former Oklahoma quarterback Charles Thompson, threw for 151 yards and had 35 yards on eight rushes.
Knight had 86 yards passing, including a 4-yard touchdown throw on a slant to Don Caudill, and 36 yards on nine carries. Knight also fumbled a snap at his own goal line that resulted in Frank Shannon's defensive score.
Going into the scrimmage, Stoops said he was looking for the quarterbacks to be consistent and avoid critical mistakes.
"I feel like it is that simple. If you don't make mistakes, you've got a really good chance of winning," Knight said. "And you get the ball in your playmakers' hands, you've got a really good chance of winning. ... We want to make few mistakes because if you make few mistakes — the fewest turnovers — most likely you're going to win the ballgame."


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ok, when i run the regular setup.exe, and i can get the networking functions to react perfectly, but when i try to run it through vdmsound, i get a 'no netbios' error message when it hits the 'looking for other players' section. whats the deal?
can anyone help me?
Duke3d -- working great ... but having a netbios problem
Moderator: Moderators


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Tuchanka: Turian Platoon
You'll get this mission after Priority: Sur'Kesh.
Primarch Victus has asked for help with a downed ship and has provided a NavPoint on Tuchanka. Land on Tuchanka and investigate.
Quest Details
Mission Enemies
10,000 Credits
- Tuchanka: Bomb is now available.
- Garrus and Liara are catching up in the Port Observation deck in the Crew Quarters.
- You can talk to Lieutenant Cortez now, who is a Romanceable Character if you are male Shepard.
Follow the path to Lieutenant Victus.
- SMG Magazine Upgrade - Among the burning rubble near the ship's drop-off point.
Very soon you come up behind a small group of squatting Husks. Kill them quickly and move on.
- Rummage through the spare parts to find 3125 credits.
- M-9 Tempest - Found by the escape pod's wreckage.
The surviving turians are being suppressed by fire from Cannibals and a Harvester, but the enemies have not yet been alerted to your presence. Exploit this golden preemptive strike opportunity and neutralize the threats. Make sure the escape pod's health doesn't reach zero, then continue up the ladder to assist the next batch of survivors.
- Sniper Rifle Spare Ammo - This upgrade is waiting for you when you climb to the top of the ladder.
- 6250 credits can be salvaged from a pile of debris located past the turian's corpse.
- Phaeston - Found lying next to a fallen turian soldier.
- SMG Ultralight Materials - Located just past the body where you found the Phaeston weapon.
The next area of conflict features all of the enemies, including a Marauder and another Harvester. Take them all down quickly to save the turians.
- Hahne-Kedar Chestplate - This is sitting atop a giant stone slab in the area after killing the second Harvester.
- Flight Recorder - After collecting the chestplate mentioned above, drop down and find this datapad atop the rubble.
- Shotgun Smart Choke - Right near the flight recorder.
Mow down the trio of Husks and continue down the ladder.
- Credits - You can get 3125 credits on the body of the Turian
Resistance ramps up when another Harvester appears but retreats with about a sliver of its health left. You're still left with the usual Reaper suspects. Press forward and move down through the collapsed ruins.
Medkit - Just past the third Marauder is a Medkit right in your path.
- Sniper Rifle Extended Barrel - After scaring off the third Harvester, continue down to find this along the path.
The next area becomes a crucial chokepoint, where a Brute is thrown at your squad along with a bevy of Cannibals and Marauders. There is a Reaper Blackstar available if you are having difficulty with the Brute. A Harvester will bookend the encounter, after which you'll meet up with Lt. Victus. He reveals the presence of a Cerberus bomb they were sent out to deactivate; help inspire Victus' men to finish their job: defuse the bomb in the mission Tuchanka: Bomb. For now, the missing turian platoon has been found.


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Today's talk (WHAT) was presented (WHEN) during our August Zazenkai (WHERE) at Treeleaf Sangha by (WHO) Jundo ...
4-Hour AUGUST ZAZENKAI
... and (HOW) riffs on this WHY Koan from the Book of Serenity ...
WHY indeed!A monk asked Master Kaku of Roya,
"If the essential state is pure and clear, then why do mountains, rivers and the
great earth arise?"
Kaku said,
"If the essential state is pure and clear, then why do mountains, rivers and the
great earth arise!"
Sometimes what appears a QUESTION is truly an AFFIRMATION!
HOW you ask ... And WHY ...
I touch a bit on Alice and the Chesire Cat and some WHERE ...
THAT'S WHY!Cheshire Puss,' [Alice] began, ... `Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?'
`That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,' said the Cat.
`I don't much care where--' said Alice.
`Then it doesn't matter which way you go,' said the Cat.
`--so long as I get SOMEWHERE,' Alice added as an explanation.
`Oh, you're sure to do that,' said the Cat, `if you only walk long enough.'". ...
... and Dogen playing the WHAT of What is this that thus comes?, words spoken by the Sixth Patriarch Hui-neng.
So, that's WHAT's WHAT! ... WHO's WHO ...
... HOW 'bout that!
TODAY'S TALK (ABOUT 30 MINUTES) WAS PART OF OUR MONTHLY ZAZENKAI, AND IS FOLLOWED BY A SHORT PERIOD OF ZAZEN and KINHIN


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I recently bought a gray card set (Zeikos ZE-DGC Digital Grey Card Set with Lanyard from Amazon) and although customers had no complaints about it, I belatedly became worried because the manufacturer's website contains no precise color information on the cards. I took a series of test pictures which turned out okay, but without any precise color information for any object in my house, I have no way to determine whether the card set is color-accurate.
I tried taking direct flash photos in a dark room with my Nikon SB600, assuming my flash would convey accurate color data to my camera, but the gray card still turned out a little off (RGB 78.9, 82.1, 84.6) and I don't know whether to blame the card or the flash or ambient reflections. I tried putting a magazine in the shot with a black-and-white photo on the cover, and it did seem to get balanced with the card close to gray (62, 62, 60) but I don't know for sure the printer intended that color. What other options do I have?


text: CDD> Transportation> Street, Sidewalk and Path Projects> Completed Projects> Porter Square Porter Square Redesign Project The Porter Square project was completed in 2007. About the Project From 1997 to 1998 a Citizen Advisory Committee, appointed by the City Manager, met to analyze many options for reconfiguring Porter Square to improve the safety and function of the square for all users, with an emphasis on pedestrians, bicyclists and transit users. The Committee agreed upon the following goals for the project: Reduce vehicular domination of Porter Square Improve conditions for pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit users, particularly for pedestrians crossing Somerville Avenue at the T stop Reduce cut-through and shopping center related vehicular traffic on neighboring residential streets; Improve the streetscape and create a sense of place in Porter Square; Improve traffic safety; and Maintain traffic level-of-service (LOS) at or near existing conditions or LOS D, whichever is lower. In the spring of 1998 the Committee came to consensus on a plan for the reconfiguration of Porter Square that was a basis for the final roadway design. The Porter Square Citizen Advisory Committee was reconvened in the fall of 2002 to assist the City of Cambridge in the final design phase of the reconstruction of Porter Square. The final plaza plan addresses these goals: To create a unique visual identity for Porter Square; To integrate both sides of Massachusetts Avenue; To create a pleasing space for pedestrians; To visually unify the plaza area; and To reduce the visual clutter of the busy intersection through simplification and clarity of design. Project Plan The project limits reached from Upland Road to Beech Street. The project included the reconfiguration of the main intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Somerville Avenue, reconstruction of the sidewalks, upgrading of lighting and the addition of new pedestrian crossings and bicycle facilities. As a result of the reconfiguration, a new pedestrian plaza and left-hand turn were constructed from of the Porter Square Shopping Center to Massachusetts Avenue southbound. Click here to view the final design along with existing conditions. Click here to view a presentation given about the plan at one of the public meetings. Click here to view a post construction evaluation of the Porter Square project. Elements of Streetscape Design Seven additional crosswalks and improved crosswalk markings to give pedestrians more direct access and more options for crossing; Reduced delay at signalized crosswalks and additional crossing time; A left-turn out of the shopping center onto southbound Massachusetts Avenue; An exclusive right turn lane from northbound Massachusetts Avenue to Somerville Avenue; An enlarged plaza to create an enhanced Porter Square and give it a new sense of place; and Bicycle lanes added through the project area and partial removal of median. New Plaza and Art With the goal of creating a unique visual identity and improving conditions for pedestrians, the City created a new plaza in Porter Square. Under the city's 1% for Art program, an artist, Toshihiro Katayama, worked with landscape architect Cynthia Smith to make the entire plaza a work of art. Members of the Porter Square Citizen Advisory Committee and city staff worked with the designers to create this bold artistic concept. Elements of the Plaza Design Concrete pavers in two contrasting colors, light and dark gray; Stone wall and boulders to create a sense of warmth through the use of natural materials; Additional trees planted and four existing tress preserved; Individual seats to allow people to rest on their way through the square; and Additional bicycle parking to be provided. For More Information For more information about the Porter Square Design Project call Bill Deignan, email@example.com, at 617/349-4632.


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Chancellor Angela Merkel finally reached a deal Wednesday to form a new German coalition government, handing the powerful finance ministry to the country's main center-left party in an agreement aimed at ending months of political gridlock.
The center-left Social Democrats' leaders now have one last major hurdle to overcome – winning their skeptical members' approval of the deal.
Merkel's conservative Christian Democratic Union, its Bavaria-only sister, the Christian Social Union, and the center-left Social Democrats agreed after a grueling final 24 hours of negotiations on a 177-page deal that promises "a new awakening for Europe."
"I know that millions of citizens have been watching us closely on this long road over recent weeks," Merkel said. "They had two justified demands of us: First, finally form a government – a stable government – and second, think … of people's real needs and interests."
The coalition deal could be "the foundation of a good and stable government, which our country needs and many in the world expect of us," she added.
Germany has already broken its post-World War II record for the longest time between its last election on Sept. 24 to the swearing-in of a new government. That is still at least several weeks away.
Merkel currently leads a caretaker government, which isn't in a position to launch major initiatives or play any significant role in the debate on the European Union's future, led so far by French President Emmanuel Macron.
A key role in the EU is particularly dear to Social Democrat leader Martin Schulz, a former European Parliament president.
On Wednesday he declared that, with the coalition deal, Germany "will return to an active and leading role in the European Union." The agreement states, among other things, that Germany is prepared to pay more into the EU budget.
To help that process, Schulz announced later he would hand over his party's leadership to Andrea Nahles, the head of its parliamentary group, and take on the role of Germany's foreign minister. Nahles will still have to be confirmed by the party.
Yet before addressing Europe's future, Schulz faces hard work at home.
The coalition accord will be put to a ballot of the Social Democrats' more than 460,000 members, a process that will take a few weeks. Germany's highest court said Wednesday it had dismissed a series of complaints against the ballot.
Many Social Democrats are skeptical after the party's disastrous election result, which followed four years of serving as the junior partner to Merkel's conservatives in a so-called "grand coalition." The party's youth wing vehemently opposes a repeat of that alliance.
If Social Democrat members say no, the new coalition government can't be formed. That would leave only an unprecedented minority government under Merkel or a new election as options.
Schulz had previously ruled out taking a Cabinet position under Merkel, and his decision to become foreign minister may complicate his efforts to sell the coalition deal to party members.
"We are optimistic that we can convince a wide majority of our members to enter this coalition," he said, speaking with Nahles at his side.
Schulz's zigzag course has undermined his authority. He vowed to take the party into opposition on election night, but reversed course in November after Merkel's efforts to build a coalition with two smaller parties collapsed.
On the conservative side, Merkel needs only the approval of a party congress of her CDU, a far lower hurdle.
"I am counting on convincing our members that we have negotiated a very good coalition agreement," Schulz said.
His party reached compromises on two key demands: curbing the use of temporary work contracts in larger companies and at least considering narrowing differences between Germany's public and private health insurance systems.
In addition to the Foreign Ministry, the Social Democrats are set to get the Labor and Finance Ministries – the latter a major prize, held by Merkel's CDU for the past eight years and an influential position given Germany's status as the eurozone's biggest economy. Unconfirmed reports in the German media say the new finance minister and vice chancellor would be Olaf Scholz, Hamburg's center-left mayor.
The Interior Ministry, also held by the CDU, would go to Bavaria's CSU, which has pushed hard to curb the number of migrants entering Germany.
Merkel's party would keep the Defense Ministry and get the Economy and Energy Ministry, held by the Social Democrats in the outgoing government. One CDU lawmaker, Olav Gutting, wrote on Twitter: "Phew! At least we still have the chancellery!"
Merkel defended the carve-up of ministries.
"Of course, after many years in which Wolfgang Schaeuble led the finance ministry and really was an institution, many find it difficult that we can no longer hold this ministry, and the same goes for the interior ministry," she said. "But we have important jobs. We have the economy ministry for the first time in decades."
She dismissed suggestions that Social Democrat-led ministries would force her to open Germany's purse wider for Macron's European reform proposals than she would like.
"Regardless of whether a ministry is led by the Social Democrats or the (Christian Democratic) Union, you can only spend the money you have," Merkel said.
If the coalition comes together, the nationalist Alternative for Germany will be the biggest opposition party. Co-leader Alexander Gauland criticized the deal, particularly the possibility of deeper European financial integration.
"You ask yourself why Mr. Macron doesn't just move into the chancellery," he said.
Credit : Voice of America (VOA) | Photo Credit: AP


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In order to achieve these two broad objectives, the survey will aim to measure changes in the labour market at a broad level while the Job Compact is operating, to provide information over a number of years of the determinants of change in the labour force status of 'jobseekers', and to assist a comparison between Job Compact participants and other long-term unemployed people in terms of their success in finding and retaining jobs. The main issues to be addressed by SEUP are outlined below, in the form of a series of questions. However, it should be noted that while this survey will contribute valuable information to enable these questions to be tested, not all the issues they raise will be able to be addressed by the results of this survey alone, and the SEUP should be seen as part of a much broader approach to evaluation of the Working Nation initiatives, which includes other surveys, and studies based on administrative records.
THE SURVEY SAMPLE The survey population consists of those people considered to be most likely to be currently eligible for labour market assistance or likely to become eligible for assistance in the near future. It has been determined after consultation with government officials, labour market analysts and other users and is designed to enable the survey objectives to be met in the most efficient manner. In broad terms, the sample will comprise persons resident in private dwellings who are aged 15 to 59. Within this broad population, there will be three subgroups: "Jobseekers" This subgroup comprises unemployed persons, part-time workers looking for a job with more hours, and others indicating a desire to join the labour force in the near future. A more detailed description is provided in Attachment A. It will facilitate the study of differences between the outcomes of Job Compact participants and those of 'similar' groups not participating in the Job Compact. General population reference group This subgroup comprises a random sample of the population aged 15 to 59. It has been included because of the need to have a reference group of the general population so that outcomes of various programs can be assessed in the context of general labour market conditions. Known Job Compact participants This subgroup is a sample of persons who have commenced a Job Compact job placement and/or commenced a training program between July 1994 and February 1995. This component of the sample has been included to ensure that the initial sample includes a sufficient number of Job Compact participants. The expected initial size of each of these subgroups is shown in the following table.
These sample numbers allow for attrition throughout the survey period. That is, it was decided that it was preferable to initially recruit a larger number, rather than to start smaller, and "top up" each year - this strategy maximises the number of respondents for whom data will be available for the full life of the survey. Overview of collection strategy and data content Recruitment of the initial sample for the survey and the collection of some baseline socio-demographic characteristics will take place between April and June 1995. Following this, the panel will be visited once each year for as long as the survey continues. At these visits, two distinct types of information will be collected by personal interview - information in respect of a reference period, and current, or point in time information. Reference period information Reference periods for the initial three data collection waves are as follows: Wave 1 - 5 September 1994 to 3 September 1995; Wave 2 - 4 September 1995 to 1 September 1996; and Wave 3 - 2 September 1996 to 31 August 1997. The information to be collected about these reference periods falls into two broad categories, labour market activity information, and training activity information. Labour market activity information Information will be sought about:
As an overview of labour market activity throughout the reference period, the following summary information will be available about all episodes:
While it would be desirable to collect much more detail about all episodes, the constraints of the interview situation, and the ability of panel members to recall with accuracy the detail of events up to 12 months ago, mean that this will not be possible for respondents who experience many changes throughout the period. It has, therefore, been decided that detailed labour market activity data will be collected about the following episodes:
Field testing has indicated that since there are relatively few persons that have extensive multiple episodes, for most respondents an extensive range of data will be available for all episodes throughout the reference period. This data will focus on:
Training activity information Data will be collected about training undertaken during the reference period, with a distinction being made between in-house courses undertaken while employed, and external courses provided by other than the employer. Data available for the most significant training undertaken will include:
In order to assist respondents with recall over the reference period they will be provided with some recall aids, such as a diary and a calendar. In addition, information collected in the preceding interview will be used in the next interview to improve response and to reduce respondent load. Point in time information In addition to the episodal information outlined above, the survey will collect/update point in time information each year. This information will relate to the date of the interview, which will usually be September / October each year. Type of details to be collected each year include:
Information collected direct from the respondent will, where possible, be supplemented with certain data from both DEET and DSS administrative systems. A detailed list of all data items expected to be available is available on request. Sample attrition The ability to maintain contact with a high proportion of the initial sample will be critical to the usefulness of the survey data. A number of strategies will be put in place to help the ABS to stay in touch with people between interviews. Results from the survey It is intended that the first publication containing survey results will be released in March 1996, with subsequent publications each year in March. More detailed tables and facilities to access unit records from the survey are expected to be available from June of each year. No information will be released in a way that would enable an individual to be identified. Analysis of survey data The primary purpose of the survey is to support the longitudinal analysis of jobseekers' employment and unemployment dynamics (or labour market transitions) and, more generally, provide a quantitative insight into how the labour market functions over time. The ABS intends to develop a program to encourage analysis of the survey data in Government policy agencies and by labour market researchers. The intention will be to focus such analysis in areas of direct policy relevance. Further information It is expected that the next Information Paper will be released about September 1995, and that this will provide more details of the actual sample following recruitment. For further information about the survey, and/or to be added to the mailing list for future information, please contact Colleen Ray on telephone (06) 252 7886 or fax (06) 252 6571. Labour Branch Australian Bureau of Statistics April 1995 ATTACHMENT A DETAILS OF JOBSEEKER SUB GROUP The Jobseeker component of the SEUP sample will consist of persons aged 15 to 59 who meet the following criteria. 1. Unemployed Persons Persons who were not employed in the reference week, and had actively looked for full-time or part-time work at any time in the last 4 weeks up to the end of the reference week, and
But excluding : (a) Persons currently unemployed who were stood down without pay for less than 4 weeks, ie they were waiting to be called back to a full-time or part-time job from which they had been stood down without pay for less than 4 weeks up to the end of the reference week (including the whole of the reference week) for reasons other than bad weather or plant breakdown. (b) Full-time students, aged 15 to 24, who were currently looking for part-time work. 2. Persons Not in the Labour Force who were Discouraged Jobseekers Persons Not in the Labour Force who : Wanted to work and were available to start work within the next 4 weeks but whose main reason for not taking active steps to find work was that they believed they would not find a job for any of the following reasons:
But excluding: (a) Full-time students, aged 15 to 24, who although were not currently looking for work, wanted to work and preferred a part-time job. 3. Persons Not in the Labour Force Persons who wanted to work and were available to start work within 4 weeks, but whose main reason for not taking active steps to find work was that they were attending an Educational Institution or were on a job related training program. But excluding: (a) Full-time students, aged 15 to 24, who although were not currently looking for work, wanted to work and preferred a part-time job. 4. Persons Not in the Labour Force who wanted to work but were not available to start work Persons who in the 4 weeks up to the end of the reference week had taken active steps to look for work, but did not meet the criteria to be classified as unemployed as they were not available to start work in the reference week. But excluding: (a) Full-time students, aged 15 to 24, who were currently looking for part-time work. 5. Part-time workers Persons who usually work less that 10 hours per week, who had been actively looking for work for more hours and were available to start work within 4 weeks. But excluding: (a) Full-time students, aged 15 to 24, who were currently looking for part-time work with more hours Document Selection These documents will be presented in a new window. |


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US Border Patrol agents targeted in Arizona
| NACO, Arizona
A Border Patrol agent was shot to death Tuesday in Arizona near the U.S.-Mexico line, the first fatal shooting of an agent since a deadly 2010 firefight with Mexican bandits that spawned congressional probes of a botched government gun-smuggling investigation.
The agent, 30-year-old Nicholas Ivie, and a colleague were on patrol in the desert near Naco, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) from Tucson, when gunfire broke out shortly before 2 a.m., the Border Patrol said. The second agent was shot in the ankle and buttocks, but was reportedly in stable condition.
Authorities have not identified the agent who was wounded, nor did they say whether any weapons were seized at the site of the shooting.
At a news conference in Naco, an FBI official said the agency still was processing the crime scene and that it might take several days to complete. The FBI and the Cochise County Sheriff's Office, which is also investigating, declined to say whether investigators have recovered guns or bullet casings.
No arrests have been made, but authorities suspect that more than one person fired at the agents.
"It's been a long day for us but it's been longer for no one more than a wife whose husband is not coming home. It's been longer for two children whose father is not coming home, and that is what is going to strengthen our resolve" to find those responsible and enforce the law, said Jeffrey Self, commander of Customs and Border Protection's Arizona joint field command.
Ivie, who is married, lived in Sierra Vista with his wife and their two young daughters.
The last Border Patrol agent fatally shot on duty was Brian Terry, who died in a shootout with bandits near the border in December 2010. The Border Patrol station in Naco, where the two agents shot Tuesday were stationed, was recently named after Terry.
Terry's shooting was later linked to the government's "Fast and Furious" gun-smuggling operation, which allowed people suspected of illegally buying guns for others to walk away from gun shops with weapons, rather than be arrested.
Authorities intended to track the guns into Mexico. Two rifles found at the scene of Terry's shooting were bought by a member of the gun-smuggling ring being investigated.
Critics of the operation say any shooting along the border now will raise the specter those illegal weapons are still being used in border violence.
"There's no way to know at this point how the agent was killed, but because of Operation Fast and Furious, we'll wonder for years if the guns used in any killing along the border were part of an ill-advised gun-walking strategy," Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley said in a statement.
The Terry family said that the shooting was a "graphic reminder of the inherent dangers that threaten the safety of those who live and work near the border."
Authorities set up a checkpoint on a dirt road about seven miles (11 kilometers) southeast of Bisbee. A Border Patrol truck and another vehicle carrying two portable toilets were allowed to drive past the roadblock.
Agents at the checkpoint declined to comment and barred reporters from going further. Two helicopters from federal immigration agencies could be seen from a distance circling the area. And a fugitive-chase team could be seen staging on a roadside.
The area near the shooting is scattered with houses, trailers and ranchettes. Mesquite trees and creosote bushes dot the landscape, with a mountain range nearby to the west.
The U.S. government has put thousands of sensors along the border that, when tripped, alert dispatchers that they should send agents to a particular location.
The agents were fired upon in a rugged hilly area about five miles (eight kilometers) north of the border as they responded to an alarm that was triggered on one of the sensors, said sheriff's spokeswoman Carol Capas. It is not known whether the agents returned fire, she said.
The agents who were shot were on patrol with a third agent, who was not harmed, said George McCubbin, president of the National Border Patrol Council, a union representing about 17,000 border patrol agents.
The Border Patrol said Ivie worked for the agency since January 2008 and grew up in Provo, Utah. He worked as an emergency medical technician before joining the Border Patrol, said his brother-in-law, Todd Davis. He served a two-year mission with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Mexico City after high school.
Ivie's desire to help others, and his love of the outdoors and riding horses led him to the Border Patrol, where he served on the horse patrol unit, Davis said.
"Nick always tried to help others. He was a very selfless man with his family, with his friends, in anything he did," Davis said. "You know the risk but you pray this day would never happen."
Twenty-six Border Patrol agents have died in the line of duty since 2002. Bisbee-area residents expressed a mix of concern and frustration about the shooting, along with recognition that the border can be a dangerous place.
The region has seen its share of violence in recent years, including the Terry shooting and the slaying of a well-known rancher in 2010. That killing was, in part, credited with pushing Arizona lawmakers to pass a law that requires officers, when they stop someone, to check the immigration status of those they suspect are in the country illegally.
"There is no security on the border — none," said Edward L. Thomas, who owns rental properties in Bisbee.
Billeaud reported from Phoenix. Associated Press writer Felicia Fonseca in Flagstaff, Arizona, contributed to this report.